Digital Commons Network^™

Physical Activity Assessment And Staff Education For Oncology Nurses, Laurie Jean Tyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical activity and mobility are key indicators of treatment and disease tolerance in cancer patients. Patients are living longer during and after cancer treatment, and staying active prevents many side effects of the disease and the treatment. Staying mobile also prevents some conditions from occurring including bone and muscle loss. A nursing educational platform was identified as a need in the facility site’s cancer center on the importance of patients staying physically active throughout cancer treatment. Nurses did not feel confident to coach patients on their activity levels which was an identified gap in their nursing practice. A nursing educational …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

Staff Education Program: Increasing Nursing Knowledge Of Exclusive Breastfeeding, Leigh Anne Panek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the initial postpartum period, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) improves women's and children's health status and outcomes. Gaps in nursing practice that decrease the rate of EBF during hospitalization at this site were identified by the lactation consultant using a standard chart audit during the last two years. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice education project was to provide a comprehensive education program that included the purpose, philosophy, nursing practice, and evaluation tools for increasing the EBF rates to meet the Joint Commission’s standard of improvement for perinatal care core measures. A formal educational program that included didactic and …

The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Young Adults Who Have Transitioned Out Of State Or Other Care, Linda Rose Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOver 20,000 young adults are released from state care annually and 100,000 young adults are released from justice centers. Past studies have revealed that young adults 18-24 years of age transitioning out of care are not prepared for independent living and may face many adversities. The problem is that young adults have difficulties finding permanent housing once emancipated from state care, their biological homes, or juvenile justice centers. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of young adults 18-24 years of age and how their experiences and life skills helped on their journey to acquire …

Teaching Environment, Instructional Coaching, And Perceived Organizational Support On Educators’ Quality Of Work-Life, Patrick Terrell Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the field of education, work-life challenges are becoming a source of concern, especially during the recent global pandemic. This study sought to identify relationships between teaching environment, instructional coaching, perceived organizational support, and work-life quality. The variables in the study were measured using the following validated instruments: classroom environment scale; coaching evaluation scale; perceived organizational support scale; and the work-related quality of life scale. This research was informed by the ecological system theory, which served as the theoretical basis for the investigation. Elements of the ecological systems theory express a complex system of relationships that affects multiple levels of …

Transition Of Women Veterans From Active Duty To Adult Learner On Campus, Sheila Outlaw

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA large percentage of women veteran students at a local 4-year university are transitioning from active duty to the role of adult learner on a college campus, and some have overcome barriers, such as inadequate childcare, lack of transportation, and financial aid issues and completed their educational goals. Unfortunately, some women veterans are not successful. The purpose of this study was to identify methods that self-identified women veteran students at the local study site use to successfully meet their educational goals. Adult transition and transformative learning theory are the conceptual frameworks for this study. A qualitative study collecting semistructured interview …

Using Integrated Staff Education To Increase Medication Adherence In A Mentally Ill Population, Tiffany Dawn Burke-Lott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to adhere to medication regimens is a serious problem that affects both the patient and the health care system. Psychiatric patients have the lowest rates of adherence, as low as 24%. The evidence shows that nonadherence to medication is a global challenge in the field of mental illness and is linked with a poor prognosis. Patients who are nonadherent to medications experience exacerbations of their mental illness, which can lead to rehospitalization, poor psychosocial outcomes, relapse of symptoms, reduced effectiveness of subsequent treatment, wastage of limited health care resources, increased substance abuse, poor quality of life, and increased risk …

The Outcome Of Stroke Education And Management On Cerebrovascular Accident Patients In Bermuda, Antoinette Simone Dyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIncidence of cardiovascular accident (CVA), also referred to as a stroke, has increased in Bermuda. Understanding key contributing factors is necessary to reduce incidences that are associated with this disease process. This dissertation examined the outcome of stroke education and management on CVA patients in Bermuda. The health belief model, incorporating a reflection of the public health framework, guided the analysis of a quantitative dataset obtained through Bermuda Hospitals Board’s Neurology Department. A cross-sectional study design was used to sample 253 stroke patients over a 2-year period (2019 -2021). The Wilcox test was employed to compare two groups – stroke …

Palliative Care Experiences And Educational Needs Of Healthcare Interprofessionals In Jamaica: A Mixed Methods Study, Rebecca L. Edwards

All ETDs from UAB

Universal access to palliative care (PC) is a human right that much of the world has not accomplished and educating a PC workforce is critical to PC advancement. Higher PC disparities exist in low-and-middle income countries, such as Jamaica. The World Health Organization Public Health Model and the International PC Initiative’s PC roadmap emphasize the importance of PC education. The purpose of this mixed methods dissertation study was to investigate the PC experiences and educational needs of healthcare interprofessionals who provide care for patients with late-stage serious illnesses in Jamaica. Three specific aims incorporated quantitative investigation of physicians’, nurses’, and …

Not Just Women’S Work: Recruiting Men To Occupational Therapy, Alexandra I. Zelin, Erin Melhorn, Kristen J. Black, Nicole Harty

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Compared to women, men are less likely to become occupational therapists (OT). To have a more diverse workforce, and to relate to various patient groups, reasons men do not enter the field of OT must be better understood. Our study compares men and women in their familiarity with OT and desire to work in the field. Data were gathered using an online, self-report survey administered to students at a public university in the southeast. The sample included 334 undergraduate students who were in majors that often serve as feeder programs to OT graduate programs. The average age was 19.8 years …

Addressing Sexuality: The Comfort And Preparedness Of Occupational Therapy Students, Claire Lynch, Annette V. Joosten

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Undergraduate sexual health education has the potential to increase confidence and the likelihood that healthcare professionals address sexual health in practice. This study explored Australian final year occupational therapy students’ perceptions about their education, and their preparedness and comfort to address sexuality in their final practice placements and into their future careers. An online questionnaire with three sections for (a) demographics; (b) the students' attitudes towards sexual health (SA-SH) questionnaire, which is a 22-item Likert scale about student attitudes toward sexual health issues in their future profession; and (c) nine open questions regarding students’ comfort and preparedness to address sexuality …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceived Preparedness To Work With Transgender Clients, Meredith Rosol, Karissa Rogers, Raigan Borsh, Rachel Pavlinec, Marion Russell, Asa N. Russell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In order to be a successful practitioner, an occupational therapist must have proper knowledge for treating diverse populations, including clients who are transgender. However, many occupational therapy (OT) programs do not teach content that is specific to the transgender population. This study utilized a complementary mixed-methods design to determine how prepared occupational therapy students perceived themselves to be for working with transgender clients. Entry-level masters and doctoral level occupational therapy students from accredited OT programs across the United States that had completed at least their first Level II fieldwork were recruited to participate. Eighty-five occupational therapy students completed the quantitative …

First Year Occupational Therapy Students’ Engagement In Learning Activities: A Qualitative Study, Mona Asbjørnslett, Helen Bull, Gry Mørk, Tore Bonsaksen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

When students enter a bachelor program in occupational therapy, they engage in a variety of learning activities. To explore students’ perceptions of learning activities, this qualitative study investigated the experiences of six first year students participating in an occupational therapy study program at a Norwegian university. The students took part in two focus group interviews. The interview analysis focused on meaning and ended up with three main themes: 1) Getting to know each other through collaborative learning activities, 2) Engaging in classroom learning activities, and 3) Approaching the syllabus and doing assignments. The study concludes that early engagement in social …

A Process Framework For The Education-Focused Capstone: Supporting Expansion And Sustainable Outcomes, Sierra Clair, Sarah Corcoran, Emily Bubel, Debbie Amini

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article aims to share a process framework created to guide entry-level occupational therapy doctoral programs in operationalizing and expanding the scope of the education-focused capstone described by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE^®).The impetus for this work was the completion of a professional development, education-focused capstone that proved to be novel, sustainable, and transformative for the capstone team, including the student, faculty mentor, site mentor, and doctoral capstone coordinator. This capstone ultimately created a professional development course covering the social determinants of health for occupational therapy practitioners, now offered through the American Occupational Therapy Association. …

Short-Term Program On Three-Dimensional Printed Self-Help Devices For Occupational Therapy Students: A Pre-Post Intervention Study, Yusuke Harada, Yuki Sawada, Jun Suzurikawa, Rie Takeshima, Tomoko Kondo

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Despite the increasing importance of digital fabrication, of which three-dimensional printing is an important aspect, educational programs in this area have not been fully developed. To utilize three-dimensional printing optimally, occupational therapists need to be familiar with this new technology, understand its scope of application, and possess certain levels of skills for producing. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a short-term program for occupational therapy students to increase the acceptance of three-dimensional printed devices by acquiring the basic knowledge and skills of making three-dimensional printed self-help devices. The research involved an intervention study with a …

Student Self-Efficacy Levels For Performing Clinical Skills Learned Virtually During A Pandemic, Brittany Nash, Anita W. Mitchell, Jian Jones, Jeffery Etheridge

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to explore student self-efficacy for performance of clinical skills learned virtually, the effectiveness of teaching clinical skills online, the relationships between students’ feelings of self-efficacy and the performance of clinical skills, and the students’ perspectives of learning clinical skills virtually. This is a one-group mixed methods study that included twenty-one Master of Occupational Therapy students. Self-efficacy was measured using the Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (L-SES), performance was measured using an instructor-created rubric, and qualitative data was collected using open-ended questions. Students presented with higher levels of self-efficacy for range of motion (ROM) than manual muscle …

Educational Level As A Moderator Between Stress And Suicidal Ideation Among Law Enforcement Officers, Sittipong Permsookjit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement officers are exposed to occupation-related stress at a level greater than any other occupation, save war combatants, such stress can lead to suicidal ideation. There is a growing trend of suicidal ideation among law enforcement officers. This trend will threaten the stability of society if it is allowed to continue. Educational level has been shown to improve quality of life and is considered a quantitative resource. Using the theoretical framework of appraisal theory, this study’s purpose was to examine the moderating effects of educational level on stress and suicidal ideation among law enforcement officers. A total of 72 …

Improving Utilization Of Palliative Care For Heart Failure Patients, Devin Tilley

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this program was to educate providers regarding palliative care for heart failure patients. Palliative care is underutilized in conjunction with usual heart failure management despite proven benefits of decreased symptom burden, reduced hospitalizations, and improved overall quality of life. Provider education has the ability to improve provider knowledge of palliative care for heart failure patients. A brief education session was given to hospital providers in an acute care setting to evaluate the benefits of provider education on palliative care utilization for heart failure patients. Findings included improved provider confidence in referring heart failure patients to palliative care. …

Ophthalmic Nursing Education: The Key To Unlocking Patient Access To Retina Services, Jacob P. Mcginnis

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: Ophthalmology, the medical field dedicated to the human eye and visual system infrequently uses nurses due to a lack of nursing knowledge about ophthalmology.

Local Problem: An ophthalmic microsystem in the Northeastern United States is experiencing increased demand for services and decreased access to their retina section. The microsystem does not utilize nurses in the clinic because of education and training barriers. The specific aim of this quality improvement (QI) project is to increase nursing knowledge about ophthalmology from baseline to an overall passing score of 80%.

Methods: This QI project sought to see if registered nurses could …

Decreasing Delays Within The Perioperative Unit Caused By Cases Of Hypoglycemia Through Nursing Continuing Education: A Quality Improvement Project, Jesse Bardis

Master's Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Study Of Catholic Priests Working And Headteachers In Government - Funded Catholic Secondary Schools, Joseph Kaye

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the skills, behaviors and lived experience of priests who are headteachers in government-funded Catholic secondary schools in Butare Catholic diocese. This study might help the bishop and diocesan policy makers in identifying the type of formation, skills and behaviors priests need to be effective headteachers in Catholic schools. To achieve the purpose of this study, I used a phenomenological methodology to collect and analyze the data. The participants in this study are priests who are headteachers in government-funded Catholic secondary schools of Butare Catholic diocese. The major goals of …

The Clinical And Demographical Characteristics Of Turkish Pediatric Lymphedema Patients: A Multicenter Study, Pinar Borman, Ayşegül Balcan, Si̇bel Eyi̇gör, Evri̇m Coşkun, Fi̇kri̇ye Fi̇gen Ayhan, Burcu Duyur Çakit, Seçi̇l Vural, Meltem Vural, Esra Deni̇z Papatya Çakir, Deni̇z Nazi̇re Çağdaş Ayvaz, Ayşegül Yaman, Ayşe Beyhan Lale Cerrahoğlu, Sevi̇l Ceyhan Doğan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Reducing lymphedema-associated burden and disability in the pediatric setting requires improved awareness and understanding clinical properties of the lymphedema. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with pediatric lymphedema presented to different lymphedema centers in Turkey. Materials and methods: The socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the children including age, gender, presence of genetic syndromes, duration of edema, site and stage of lymphedema and the received therapies were determined. Parental and children education on self-management techniques were recorded. Results: A total of 122 children (female: 66, male: 56) with a mean age …

A Nation That Rebuilds Its Soils Rebuild Itself- An Engineer's Perspective, Karen L. Johnson, Neil D. Gray, Wendy Stone, Bryce F.J. Kelly, Mark F. Fitzsimons, Cathy Clarke, Lynsay Blake, Stephen Chivasa, Florence Mtambanengwe, Paul Mapfumo, Andy Baker, Sabrina Beckmann, Lena Dominelli, Andrew L. Neal, Tariro Gwandu

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Nations can build and rebuild degraded soils to help address climate change and potentially improve the nutritional content of food if we change policies that allow the addition of safe mineral and organic wastes to soil. We present a framework that facilitates the transition from intensive conventional to more regenerative farming practices by considering soil’s natural cycle. Our paper is presented in three parts. Firstly, we consider that ’soil is living’; just like humans, the soil biome needs a balanced diet of macro and micronutrients as well as a nurturing environment. We simplify the soil science and take a systems …

Native Presence And Sovereignty In College: Sustaining Indigenous Weapons To Defeat Systemic Monsters, Bhavika Sicka

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

In Native Presence and Sovereignty in College: Sustaining Indigenous Weapons to Defeat Systemic Monsters, Amanda Tachine delineates the barriers that hinder the personal and academic goals of Navajo students, and what sources of strength and comfort these students channel to guide them toward college. Tachine stresses the importance of story-sharing and world-making, which she herself employs. She uses a story rug technique, weaving together the narratives of ten Navajo students as they journey to and through college, bringing together their experiences of belonging in educational settings and offering us lessons gleaned. The storylines serve as threads, which she connects …

The Lived Experiences Of Selected Choral Directors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Angela Berna Milliren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The shift to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic found secondary choral teachers moving traditional performance-based courses to the online venue. The pedagogical changes needed include implementing technology and disseminating information through learning management systems. Relationships between teachers and students, and teachers and colleagues, were challenged with the physical distance of quarantines in the Spring of 2020. This dissertation research project examined the difficulties six teachers faced concerning technology and relationships. I sat down for semi-structured interviews with six colleagues where I asked about their backgrounds, relationships with students and fellow colleagues, and the changes the pandemic brought to their …

Three Essays In Public Economics, Joylynn Michelle Pruitt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation presents three chapters related to each other in their application to public economics. In the study of how utility-maximizing or goal-seeking units achieve economic outcomes, this dissertation presents results for a diverse range of agents including prosecutors and liberal arts colleges. Co-authored with Dr. Bryan McCannon of West Virginia University, the first chapter examines an interesting feature of prosecutor elections, where the pool of potential challengers to an incumbent comes primarily from subordinates within the office. We develop a signaling model that analyzes whether entry into the political race by a subordinate provides voters with useful information. In …

Needs Assessment Of Diabetes Self-Management Education And Support Within West Virginia From Provider Viewpoints, Kasey M. Yost

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects millions of Americans. It can have significant, lasting effects on an individual’s mental and physical wellbeing, especially when it goes unmanaged or untreated. Diabetes has been a growing problem in West Virginia (WV), which has the highest adult rate of diabetes at 15.7% in the US. Furthermore, WV has the highest mortality rate associated with diabetes at 36.2%. An effective method of management is through diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES). DSMES is a critical component of care for all individuals with diabetes. It is defined as the ongoing process of facilitating …

Raising Awareness Of Second Victim Phenomenon And Supportingyou: A Quality And Safety Initiative, Megan Renee Bryant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current literature has established a need for practice change in management of healthcare-related critical incidents. Peer-support programs have been cited as the most impactful resource healthcare professionals request following a critical incident (Daniels & McCorkle, 2016). SupportingYOU, a peer-support program, is in the process of expansion at a large academic children’s hospital in northern West Virginia in anticipation for the opening of a new facility. The specific aim of this project was to raise awareness of second victim phenomenon (SVP), SupportingYOU, and perception of awareness of resiliency. Interventions included multi-formatted educational sessions on SVP and SupportingYOU via PowerPoints, brochures, flyers, …

Cultural Competence And Motivation To Control Prejudiced Reactions Of Criminal Justice Students: A Survey Methods Approach, Carole Marguerite Byrd

Theses & Dissertations

Implicit bias and discrimination in the police department can lead to devastating effects for people of color in racially diverse urban and suburban areas. However, there is very little research on the racial attitudes and assumptions that aspiring police recruits and other criminal justice professionals have about people of color who reside in inner cities and diverse communities. This study focused on assessing cultural awareness and motivation to control prejudiced reactions in a self-selected group of criminal justice undergraduate college students to see what bias they may have prior to entering the police department. Students completed a survey that included …

The Essence Of Soil Biodiversity, Loren B. Byrne

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil ecologists and conservationists should focus on raising people’s awareness of the essence of soil biodiversity: its complex ecologicalwebs and emergent ecosystemservices that support aboveground life and human well-being. Conservation and communication efforts regarding soil biodiversity must consider local-scale ecological contexts and different audiences. Engaging educational and outreach materials and methods should be prioritized to advance preservation of soil systems and their biodiversity.